The popular breakfast chain Eggspectation has opened their newest location on Carlton Street, just across from the Mattamy Athletic Centre. It’s a pretty big space with a casual open plan layout, combining an eclectic mishmash of design styles ranging from modern industrial elements to mid twentieth century touches, and it doesn’t have the light and airy feeling you’d expect from a breakfast restaurant of this size. Walking past it, it’s hard to tell that it’s even open, since there’s rarely more than a few patrons there at a time. So, is it worth a visit?
The price tags on its menu are in the mid-range, with their main dishes ranging from $14 to $25. Most dishes sit at about $18, so while it doesn’t quite break the bank, it certainly isn’t the cheapest option around.
The food on offer is your standard brunch fare, with a few exceptions like lobster themed dishes available at the higher price point. The chicken in the Chicken N’ Waffles was juicy and well seasoned, though the waffles themselves were a bit bland. The Banana Split Waffles were delicious and decadent, but be aware that halfway through the sweetness of it becomes rather overwhelming and it’s hard to finish on your own. The star of the show was definitely the Classic Benedict, which featured perfectly cooked, runny eggs paired with creamy hollandaise, and soft, flavourful potatoes.
So, what’s the bottom line? If you’re looking for truly excellent breakfast food at a similar price point and don’t mind a commute, you might be better off opting for brunch at a place like House on Parliament or Mildred’s Temple Kitchen, where the offerings are definitely on the fancier side of things. But if you don’t mind paying more than you would at a place like Fran’s for food that is of considerably better quality, Eggspectation is a solid option for those times when you’re craving good breakfast food and don’t want to travel far from campus.
